Love The Way You Lie
by WhitRiddle22
Summary: A tale of abuse, secrecy, misunderstandings, hurt, true happiness, and a forbidden love. Based from the song 'Love the Way You Lie' by Eminem and Rhianna.
1. She Fucking Hates Me And I Love It

**A/N::: Hello fellow Dramione lovers! I'm loving writing this fic, so i hope you guys love reading it... **

**The idea for this story came from Eminem+Rhianna's "Love the Way You Lie" song...if you haven't heard it, GO TO YOUTUBE NOW! lol, its a pretty intense song...very fitting for Hermione and Draco, i think. **

**As usual, Read+Review, please! **

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><p>Hermione was glad to be back at Hogwarts. It wasn't nearly what it used to be, but it was home. They had begun rebuilding It was taking every student to help, but they managed well. Everyone in the castle worked together, wanting their home restored. There was little time for classes. The 6th and 7th years hardly attended, eager to restore Hogwarts to its prior brilliance. They were all sitting in the Great Hall that morning, waiting on their Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, to give them their assignments for the week. After about a month of her trying to make them go to class, she finally gave up, telling her oldest students she would be giving them individual schedules and assignments each week. The system was working well.<p>

This morning, however, she was announcing the Head Boy and Girl for the remainder of the year. They were all on the edge of their seats, waiting in excitement.

"I wonder who McGonagall's going to choose?" Hermione asked to no one in particular. Ron put his arm around her, "Seriously, Hermione, you know it's going to be you. Why do you pretend not to know?" he told her, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek.

Hermione smiled, "Oh hush, Ron. She could choose someone else"

Harry snorted, "Right. Who's she going to choose? Luna?"

"Yes! That's a very good possibility!" Hermione told them. The boys rolled their eyes at her as McGonagall stepped up to the podium.

"I know most of you are very excited about my announcement this morning, so I will go ahead with it" she started to say to them.

Draco sat at the Slytherin table with Blaise, bored with everything around him. He'd gone back to school because his mother wanted him to stay out of trouble, continue with the normal routine. He tapped his foot lightly on the floor, the circles under his eyes more defined than ever. He couldn't sleep, the war still haunted him, and he had nothing to help him get his mind off of it. He watched McGonagall lazily, expecting to hear Hermione and Harry's names called for Head Boy and Girl. He laid his forehead on the table as she talked.

"-Miss Hermione Granger!" McGonagall said, calling out the name of the Head Girl. Hermione beamed. Ron leaned in and gave her a quick kiss as McGonagall called out the name of the Head Boy.

"-Boy is Mister Draco Malfoy" she said. Everyone in the room started whispering to each other, making sure they'd heard her correctly. Draco's head shot up quickly, a puzzled expression on his face.

McGonagall noticed the chatter in the room, "Settle down, settle down. I suppose you all want to know why I chose Mr. Malfoy as your Head Boy" she said. Most of the students nodded their heads in agreement.

"Mr. Malfoy has done a great deal of maturing in the past few months. I believe he will treat his fellow classmates fairly, and he's also one of the smartest students in his year, if you all must know. If anyone would like to express their concern with my choices, please take it up with me in private. But I can assure you, I have given this a great deal of thought" McGonagall told them.

Draco's eyes were wide. Had she just given him a compliment? What was going on? Blaise snickered at Draco's face.

"What are you on about?" Draco said moodily.

"Head Boy, eh?" Blaise said, raising his eyebrows.

"What're you trying to say, Blaise? Think I'm not good enough?" Draco asked him.

"Never said that. Just surprised. About as surprised as you I think" Blaise told him, taking a sip of his juice. Draco looked around him at all the staring faces, "Right" he told him.

"Look, maybe this is a good thing. None of the other punks can tell you what to do now. And on the bright side, you get to share a dorm with Granger" Blaise said, raising his eyebrows and smirking.

Draco snorted, shaking his head and throwing a piece of toast at Blaise. "I don't know what you're getting at, mate" he told him.

"Oh please. I've seen you look at her. You're like a moth to a flame when it comes to her" Blaise said smugly. Draco swallowed hard, looking over at the next table, the Gryffindor table, where Hermione was sitting with her back to him beside Weasley.

"Mister Malfoy….Malfoy! Draco!" McGonagall said from beside him.

He shook his head, breaking free from his daze, "Sorry, Professor. Erm…thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to be Head Boy" he said standing up.

"Your welcome, Mister Malfoy. I have faith in you. What with the war over and your family going through so much, I've seen you mature a great deal. Don't make me regret it" she told him warningly.

"Yes mam" Draco told her, shaking the hair from his eyes.

"Good. Here is your schedule. And the house elves have taken your things up to the Head Dorm. I assume you already know where it is?" she said.

"I do, Professor. I'll show him" Blaise said, sticking his head into their conversation.

"Very good, Mr. Zabini. I'll see you this afternoon then, Draco" she said, handing Blaise his schedule and walking away from them. Draco ran a hand through his hair, "Right. Want to show me where that dorm is?" he asked him.

Blaise shook his head, "Yeah, come on then" he said, standing up from the table.

Hermione was still in shock from hearing Draco's name called for Head Boy when McGonagall arrived beside her to give her her schedule.

"Miss Granger? Miss Granger!" McGonagall practically yelled at her.

"Oh, right! Yes, Professor?" she said standing up, her chest heavy.

"Here is your schedule for the week" McGonagall said, handing her a sheet of parchment.

"Right, right. Professor? Why-"

"You want to know why I chose Draco Malfoy as Head Boy, am I right?" McGonagall said, finishing her sentence.

"Well, yes" Hermione said.

"He's matured Miss Granger. I think he can handle the responsibilities of being Head Boy" she told her, then turned to Harry, "Forgive me Mister Potter, but I rather believed you'd had enough responsibilities the last 17 years of your life and needed a rest" she told him.

Harry smiled, "Thank you for the consideration, Professor. But yes, I think it will be nice to have a break" he told her.

"Good, I'm glad you agree. Besides, you have the quidditch pitch to rebuild! I expect it to be better than it was before, Mr. Potter" she told him, peering at him over her glasses. She handed him, Ron, and Ginny their schedules. "Miss Granger, do you really think it's going to be a problem working with Malfoy?" she asked.

"No mam. I can handle it, don't worry" Hermione assured her.

"Good. You have your first assignment with him starting this afternoon. And I assume you know where the Head Dorm is? The house elves have already taken your things up" McGonagall said.

"Yes mam. I'll go ahead there now and change" Hermione told her. McGonagall walked away, making her way down the table as she gave out the schedules. Hermione slumped back in her seat. Ron reached for her, rubbing her shoulders in a comforting way.

"I don't know how I'm going to last working with him" she said in a hurt voice.

"Maybe it won't be too bad. All you have to do is tolerate him. He really has no reason to torment you now" Harry told her reassuringly.

"Please" Ron said, rolling his eyes, "He'll do anything to torture her" he said.

"Let's try to look on the upside, you twat" Ginny said, reaching across the table and smacking her brother on the face.

"Ow! That hurt!" he whined. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to go on to the dorm, see how everything is laid out in there. I'll see you guys at supper" Hermione said, standing up from the table. Ron went to stand with her, but she pushed him back down. "No, I don't need you starting a fight with him. I can handle it" she reassured him. Hermione looked towards the Slytherin table where she'd last seen Draco, he wasn't there. 'Maybe he's already gone to the dorm' she thought to herself. She walked out of the Great Hall, heading up the tall staircases to the Head Dorm. When she reached the portrait, it occurred to her that she didn't know the password.

She mentally slapped herself for her ignorance. How could she have been so stupid not to ask McGonagall for the password?

"Flubberworm" someone said behind her. The sound of Draco's voice made Hermione jump. He was standing inches from her. How had she not heard him come up? She stared at him, the blonde hair falling over his eyes, his all black suit buttoned-up neatly as it always was, his grey eyes staring back at her menacingly. She licked her lips instinctively, her heart just now back at its normal rate. Getting herself together, she tried glaring at him.

"You twat, you fucking scared me!" she said angrily.

"Oh, was I supposed to announce myself as I walked down the hall or something?" he asked her, cocking his head to the side and stepping back a moment before going into a demonstration. "'Here ye, here ye, it is I coming down the hall, Draco Malfoy. Please bow before your Head Boy" he said loudly in a mocking manner. She stared at him, never seeing him like this before. Draco rolled his eyes, shoving a hand into his pocket as he pushed open the portrait.

He stepped aside, "Ladies first" he told her, pressing his lips together. She went to walk forward. He stepped in front of her before she could reach the entrance, "Right, you're not a lady, I forgot" he said, letting himself into the room before her. She stormed in behind him, ready for a fight.

"You fucking arrogant scumbag! You think you can trick all the professors in to thinking you've matured, you've changed since the war, but I know better! I know what you really are, Malfoy!" she yelled at him inside their common room.

He rounded on her, "Yeah? And what's that Granger?" he asked.

"You're an ignorant, egotistical, worthless piece of TRASH! You're fucking swine, Malfoy! You can't scare me! Don't try and pull this 'I've changed' shit with me! You've always been and always will be a damn blood-sucking cockroach in my mind!" she yelled at him as he continuously walked towards her until there was little space left between the two of them.

He looked down at her, clenching his jaw, "Then why didn't you tell McGonagall you refused to work with me? Why not refuse? She's not going to turn you down! You're the smartest girl in this school! She has to make you Head Girl! If it bothers you so much, go request that Longbottom or…or Potter be Head Boy!" he yelled, inches from her body.

She swallowed hard, she could smell his intoxicating cologne now, the tiny strands of hair falling into his eyes as he yelled, the vein in his neck pulsating. "Because I can take a challenge" she whispered angrily, staring up in his grey eyes.

He laughed evilly, walking away from her slightly, "A challenge? That's what you think I am?" he asked her. She could breathe then with him away from her. But just as suddenly as he'd walked away, he immediately walked back to her, closing the gap between them completely as he stared down at her, his face inches from hers. "I'll show you what kind of a challenge I am" he whispered to her.

She searched his face for only a minute before he walked away from her and up the staircase to his room. Hermione stood frozen on the spot, watching him walk away from her. She sat down on the couch, in deep thought as she stared into the fireplace. She didn't know how long she sat there. The next thing she knew, Draco was yelling at her again.

"Fuck, Granger, are you just going to sit there all day or are you actually going to do something?" he hissed at her as he walked down the staircase. She glanced towards him, noticing that he'd changed clothes. Staring, she realized she'd never seen him in anything other than a suit.

"I see you own normal clothes" she said lightly. He looked down at his attire: dark blue skinny guy jeans, a white tshirt, and black sports coat.

"And I see you haven't moved since I went upstairs" he said, cocking his head to the side and staring at her.

"Oh shut up, Malfoy" she said, throwing a pillow at his face as she stood from the couch and went up to her room, changing clothes. She put on a pair of skinny jeans and a long sweater with a hood. It was snowing outside.

Coming back down the stairs, she saw Draco leaving through the portrait hole. She grabbed her schedule, looking at where she was supposed to be at that moment. The greenhouse gardens! And she was late! Running, she made it to the greenhouses in record time. Slowing only when she saw that she was the only one in the ruined hall. Looking back down at her schedule, she saw that the project was a 'Head Student' project.

"Great. Just damn great" Hermione said out loud.

"You think so?" someone said from behind her. She jumped.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Are you normally this jumpy?" he asked, getting annoyed with her.

"No. Only when people I don't like seem to be stalking me" she told him.

"Now why would I be stalking you?" he asked.

"I don't know. You tell me. You're the one stalking me" she said.

"Right. Right. Just because we happen to be on the same assignment, you think I'm stalking you. Makes perfect sense. Why the bloody hell would I want to stalk you?" he asked, pacing around her.

"Look, let's just forget about it. What are we supposed to be doing?" she said, trying to put an end to their bickering for the moment.

Draco walked up behind her, observing the area from her perspective. "First, I would say we need to get all of this stone back into place, that way we can see what exactly we have left to work with" he suggested.

She scrunched up her face as she stared at him, "Right"

Draco took out his wand, moving the larger pieces of rubble to one side of the room, evaporating the small pieces. Hermione watched him work for a moment, before grabbing a broom from the nearest broom cupboard down the hall and sweeping up some of the dust. The cold wind broke through the now diminished walls around the greenhouses.

Draco had ideas running through his head on how to make this place special, different from what it was before. He would need to clear them with Professor Sprout before proceeding. He didn't want to talk to Hermione about it, he knew she would just think he was trying to get on her good side. The more he thought about it, the more he knew he could probably use Longbottom's help. Asking for that was going to be tough.

They continued to work in silence the rest of the day, the snow falling on both of them. Hermione was sure she was going to be sick. Draco glanced at her shivering body as she swept.

He shook his head, "Granger, you look a fright" he said, putting his wand in his back pocket and walking over to her. He put his hands on her arms, rubbing them frantically as he tried to create friction and heat. It was an odd sensation, Draco's hands on her arms. It warmed her, nonetheless.

"How long have you been standing here like this? You're freezing" he said quietly, taking off his sports jacket and putting it around her shoulders. Hermione stared at his strong, lean arms as he put the jacket around her shoulders, then pulled her close to him, trying to warm her up. He felt his shirt becoming soaked from her sweater. He's performed a drying and warming spell on himself earlier in the day, he knew he would be freezing if he hadn't.

"Why are you d-d-doing this?" she said, her voice ragged from the cold. His arms fit perfectly around her small body. Draco swallowed hard, his head resting on hers as he moved his hands up and down her back, warming her.

"Because I don't feel like facing the wrath of your beloved Weasel if I let you sit out here in the cold and get sick" he told her icily.

"And what do you think he would say if he saw how you were warming me up?" she asked, looking up at him.

He smirked, "If he wants a girlfriend that's alive, I'd say he'd better be thanking me" he told her.

Hermione couldn't help herself, she laughed quietly at him. Draco pulled her closer again, rubbing her back. After a couple of minutes, he pulled away from her slightly, looking down at her still pink cheeks. "Feel better?" he asked her.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by a shout coming from the entrance of the hall, "What the bloody hell is going on out here?" Ron yelled. He walked quickly to the pair who had separated almost instantly, stepping in front of Draco.

"How dare you touch my girlfriend?" Ron yelled in Draco's face.

"What's wrong, weasel? Am I getting more action in warming her up than you have in three months?" Draco hissed at him smugly.

"You stay away from her, you slimy git!" Ron said pushing Draco. Hermione yelled at them, but neither heard what she said. Draco tried not to hit him, holding back everything he had as Ron continued to push him.

"What were you doing with her? Don't fucking touch her Malfoy!" Ron yelled as he pushed him.

"Yeah, well, maybe if you taught your girlfriend how to do a damn warming spell, I wouldn't have had to!" Draco yelled. Ron hit him. Draco reached a finger up to his mouth, feeling the blood trickle down his chin as he stumbled back a couple of steps. Lunging at Ron, he knocked him to the ground, punching his face in.

"STOP! BOTH OF YOU! STOP! MALFOY, GET OFF OF HIM! STOP!" Hermione yelled, pulling Draco's arms. The two of them stopped fighting, standing up with Hermione between them.

"Ron! Stop it! He was only trying to keep me from getting sick! You should be grateful! And YOU!….You….just stop! I won't have the two of you fighting everyday!" she yelled.

"Grateful? I should be grateful for this fucking twat? Are you out of your mind, Hermione? I can't believe this" Ron said, turning and walking back into the castle.

Hermione glanced back at Draco before running after Ron. Watching her run off, Draco put his hands on his hips in frustration, pacing around the small area before turning back to the stack of boulders he'd been cleaning and continuing to do so.

"RON! Will you slow down! RON!" Hermione yelled after him.

"What? Are you going to explain to me why he had his hands all over you?" Ron yelled in the middle of a crowded hall. Hermione looked around her at all the faces staring at them.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" she said quietly.

"No! No, we can talk about it here! Why did he have his hands around you?" he yelled.

"He was trying to warm me! I was fucking freezing! If he hadn't, I'd probably have damn frostbite right now and be in the hospital wing! Is that what you want?" she demanded.

"No, I want him to keep his fucking filthy hands off of you! I want him to stay the hell away from you! Hermione, if he touches you again, I'll kill him" Ron told her.

Hermione took a deep breath, "Ronald, we have to work together. It's not like I can ignore him" she said, gritting her teeth together.

"Hermione, if he even lays a damn finger on you, or so much as looks at you the wrong way, I'll fucking kill him" Ron said angrily, "I'll burn him in front of you and rip him to shreds"

Hermione looked at the floor, shaking her head. She did hate Draco, but the last thing she wanted was Ron killing him. "Ron, you can't be serious. We have to work together, don't you understand that?" she whispered, walking towards him. As she went to grab his arm, he pulled away from her.

"Don't fucking touch me until you've shower. I don't want his slimy germs all over me" he hissed at her before continuing down the hall. Hermione was in tears by now. She looked around her at the crowded hall, "What are you all staring at? HAVEN'T YOU EVER SEEN TWO PEOPLE FIGHT BEFORE?" she yelled at them. Quickly, the students dispersed, leaving Hermione sinking to the floor in the middle of the hall, her head buried in her head. It was then that she realized she still had on Draco's jacket. She could smell his cologne on it as she brought her hands to her face.

All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and cry. She got up from the floor, running all the way to her dorm where she fell onto her bed, balling up in a ball, and falling asleep.

Draco watched the two of them fight from the far end of the hall, then watched Hermione sink to the ground, crying. He thought about going up to her, comforting her, but decided against it. He'd caused enough drama for one day. After she got up and ran towards the dorm, he walked down the hall, heading towards the Great Hall for supper.

He forgot that he had blood on his chin, and that it must look odd for the newly appointed Head Boy to have already gotten in a fight. Sitting down across from Blaise, he grabbed a biscuit and started eating it.

"Oi, mate, what happened to you?" Blaise asked him, "And why are you all wet? Don't you know how to do a drying spell?"

Draco almost laughed. "You have no idea, mate" he told him, shaking his head. Blaise looked up as Ron walked into the Great Hall with Longbottom and Harry. He then looked back at the death glare Ron and Draco were giving each other.

Blaise laughed quietly, nodding towards Ron, "I take it you did that?" he said, referring to the purple bruise growing under Ron's eye.

Draco cocked his head to the side, his eyes smiling, "I might have" he said, picking up his water and taking a sip.

Blaise shook his head, "Why?"

"Because apparently, someone can't keep their hands off of a certain mud blood" Pansy said as she walked up to their table, sitting beside Blaise.

Blaise raised his eyebrows, shaking his head, "You just couldn't do it, could you?"

"Do what?" Draco said defensively.

"Keep your damn hands off of her for one fucking day. Jeez, fuck, Draco!" Blaise said, slamming his fist on the table.

Pansy raised her eyebrows, "I knew it! I knew you had a thing for that mudblood!" she said in a triumphant way.

"Shut your fucking mouth, Pansy" Draco spat at her, glaring through the blonde hair fallen in his face.

"Ooo….touchy subject" she said smirking. Draco reached across the table, grabbing her hair.

"If you tell anyone, I'll fucking murder you in your sleep" he whispered angrily in her face. Her jaw trembled as he pulled on her hair. Finally, he let go. She glared at him before getting up from the table and walking away.

"Bad choice, mate" Blaise said, looking at Draco's sad face.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked.

"You and Granger. It's wrong, you know it" Blaise said quietly.

"I don't know what your talking about. It's not like it'll ever happen" he said, taking a deep breath. He stuffed a couple of pieces of bread in a cloth, tucking it in his back pocket. "I'll see you later. McGonagall gave me a fucking Transfiguration essay to do" he told Blaise.

Blaise shook his head, "Right. See you"

Draco got up from the table, walking quickly from the Great Hall to the dorm. He didn't see Hermione in the Common Room, so he walked up the stairs to her room, finding the door wide open. He stood in the doorway a moment, watching her sleep, still dressed in her clothes from earlier, still wearing his jacket.

He watched her chest rise and fall for a couple of seconds before knocking lightly on the door. She stirred, uncurling slightly and opening her eyes. Hermione cursed whomever it was that woke her, she was having a good dream.

She opened her eyes, looking towards the door at Draco. He was looking at the floor nervously, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"Malfoy?" she asked quietly, sitting up in her bed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" he told her.

"No, no. It's fine. What time is it?" she asked, stretching her arms. Draco tried not to stare as she arched her back and stretched, exposing her neck. He licked his lips instinctively, "Almost nine" he told her, leaning against the door.

She looked up at him, noticing the blood on his lip. She shook her head, "You're bleeding" she said quietly.

He felt his lip, "It's nothing. Nothing compared to your boyfriend's eye atleast" he said smirking, walking out of her room.

She looked down at her bed, thinking back to the events from earlier. A tear came to her eye. "Right, my boyfriend" she said, holding back a sniffle, clenching her jaw. "I wish you hadn't hit him" she said quietly.

Draco walked backwards to her door, "Hadn't hit him? Granger, he fucking hit ME! You expect me to just sit back and take it when someone hits me? Fuck you, Granger! Fuck you. If that's what you think" he yelled at her. He felt the bread in his back pocket when he walked.

Taking it out of his pocket, he threw it at her on the bed, "I brought you this, if you want it, that is" he said, walking down the hall and to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione fell back on her bed, disgusted with the day. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before sitting up again. Deciding she could use a quick shower, she walked to their joining bathroom, opening the door without knocking.

"Fuck, Granger!" Draco exclaimed, turning quickly towards the wall. He was standing there bare-chested in front of the urinal, taking a piss.

"Sorry!" she said, turning her head.

"Don't you know how to fucking knock?" he said, zipping his pants up. He turned around towards her, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't you know how to lock the fucking door?" she replied, rolling her eyes. She stared at him, memorizing every cut on his body. Her eyes traveled to his left arm, where the dark mark stood out on his pale skin. He clenched his jaw as he noticed her staring.

"Right. I'll leave you to your shower, then" he said. He shook his head, walking out of the bathroom when she never said anything to him. He closed the door behind him. She quickly locked it. Hermione shook her head, unable to get the image of his bare chest out of her mind as she turned on the hot water in the shower and undressed.

The hot water hit her body as she stepped in, leaning her head against the wall. She closed her eyes, trying to make out the growing temptation playing in her mind. Being so close to him, she could barely breathe, her stomach was always sent into knots when he looked at her with his dark, grey eyes.

Draco walked into his room, picking up the first thing he saw and throwing it across the room. It shattered on the floor. He sunk down to the floor in front of the bathroom door, feeling the steam from her shower coming up under the door. He didn't know how he was going to get her out of his head now. She was going to be everywhere he looked.

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><p><strong>AN: What do you think?**


	2. Because I Like The Way It Hurts

Draco woke up the next morning when the bright sun hit his face through the window pane. He'd slept on the floor. Groaning, he tried standing, cursing his body for giving out on him so quickly the night before. As he went to open the door to the bathroom, he noticed it was still locked. He jiggled the handle, pushing on the door in frustration. When he didn't hear anything inside, he pounded on the door wildly. Still nothing. Taking his wand from his pocket, he whispered 'Alohamora.' Nothing, not even a wiggle of the handle. He cursed the first Head Boy and Girl who decided having a dorm would be a good idea.

Walking out of his room, he went and stood in front of Hermione's door, pounding on it as he'd done the bathroom door. He beat on the door over and over again, until finally she opened the door.

"What do you want?" she said sleepily, her shirt halfway off of her shoulder, exposing the top of her breast. He swallowed hard, pushing past her and into her room.

"I want to take a piss. But it seems, someone, doesn't know how to unlock a door after she's done in the shower" he told her angrily, cocking his head to the side.

"Did you try alohamora?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Of course I fucking tried alohamora! Damn, Granger, just because it took your boyfriend three years to be able to use that spell doesn't mean it took me that long" he said, shaking the hair from his face. "It doesn't work on these doors. Some kind of enchantment" he told her, reaching for the handle on her bathroom door.

"Fine. Go piss" she told him, closing her door back as he stepped into the bathroom. Draco thought he'd closed the door completely, but he hadn't. As Hermione walked to her dresser, she could see Draco in the mirror. Her eyes widened as she saw his manhood. Every bone in her body told her to turn away, but she kept stealing glanced as he finished using the loo, then proceeded to undress.

Draco turned the hot water on in the shower, still not noticing that he'd left the door to her room cracked slightly. He undressed, then arched his back, stretching his arms before stepping into the shower.

Hermione walked to breakfast that morning in a daze, her mind fluttering in and out as she passed her friends in the hallway, all of whom were greeting her and receiving nothing as a reply. She sat down beside Harry at the Gryffindor table, merely staring at the plate in front of her.

"Hermione? Are you ok?" Harry asked her.

She shook her head as she took in a sharp intake of breath, "Yeah. Yeah, fine. Have you seen Ron?" she asked, remembering that she had a boyfriend.

"Yeah, he's coming. I should warn you though, his cheekbone…I think Malfoy broke it" Harry told her.

Hermione became horrified, "What? Is he ok? Oh, I can't believe that happened yesterday! I don't even want to think about it!" she said, sitting her head in her hand.

"I'm fine, Hermione" Ron said softly as he sat beside her. She flung her arms around him quickly, "No you're not! Your bloody face is broken! Why didn't you go to Madame Pomfrey?" she asked him, hitting his arm like a child.

"Ow!" Ron said, wincing in pain.

"We tried to make him, stupid dolt" Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up" Ron said quietly, still grabbing his arm where Hermione'd hit him.

"Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry about yesterday!" Hermione said, kissing him.

"Hermione, I don't worry about you. It's him. He's an arrogant ass who thinks he can have anything he wants" Ron told her, pushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He leaned in and kissed her again. Hermione smiled against his familiar lips. Something puzzled her though. In the very moment that she'd kissed him back, Draco's face flashed in her mind. Him standing in front of the sink with his hair falling delicately around his face, his chest movements heavy as he breathed in the thick air between them.

"Oi, you two, get a room" Harry said suddenly.

Hermione was unaware that while she'd been envisioning Draco in her mind, she'd deepened her kiss with Ron, practically sitting on his lap now. She pulled away from him suddenly, staring back at her empty plate.

"Sorry" she muttered, her cheeks becoming red. Looking up from the table, her eyes caught Zabini's. He was smirking at her! What the hell? She glared at him before standing up from the Gryffindor table.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked her.

"Oh, um, I just need to go look at the thing Malfoy and I are supposed to be working on…I'll see you guys later" she told them quickly. Hermione walked quickly from the table and towards the greenhouses.

"Running from something, Granger?" someone asked from behind her. She jumped, turning around quickly.

"What is it with you Slytherins and sneaking up on people?" she asked Blaise, turning and continuing to walk quickly.

Her quick pace was no match for his long strides, "Quite a show you just put on in there" he said smugly.

"I don't know what you're talking about" she said quickly.

"Like hell you don't Granger" he said, grabbing her arm and turning her around to face him. Hermione walked backwards away from him, Blaise closing in on her the whole time until she finally hit the wall. He observed her face for a minute before grabbing it fiercely, "What is it he sees in you…I've always wondered" he said sinisterly, twisting her face from side to side as his nails dug into her skin. She wriggled beneath him, finally able to get her hand up and slapped him.

Blaise was sent fuming at the feeling of her hand hitting his cheek. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath, grabbing her face harder, "Oh I know exactly what it is…" he whispered to her.

"Blaise!" someone yelled from his left. Blaise turned, finding Draco standing in the middle of the hall glaring at him, his hands in the pockets of his black dress pants, only wearing his white undershirt, his hair falling into his grey eyes as usual.

Blaise threw Hermione into the wall, letting her go as he glared back at Draco. Giving her one last glance, he walked down the hall past Draco and towards the dungeons. Hermione took a deep breath, looking at the ceiling before stepping away from the wall, walking the same way that Blaise had, knocking into Draco's shoulder as she passed him. Draco followed her.

"I didn't need your fucking help" she spat at him, knowing he was behind her as she walked quickly up the steps to the greenhouses.

"Well, maybe next time I'll let him rape you" he whispered angrily.

"Fuck off, Malfoy" she hissed. He grabbed her arm, digging his nails into her forearm as he pulled her around. Taking her other hand, she slapped his chest, pushing him back only slightly. He dug his nails into her further, pulling her closer to him. She fought against him, finally slapping him with everything she had. Draco froze for a moment, his blonde hair covering his face. Hermione stared for a moment, then noticed the faint drop of blood forming on his cheek. Her ring had cut him.

Her eyes became wide as he turned his head back to her, his cold grey eyes staring straight through her. She was terrified. Feeling his grip loosen, she ran.

Draco watched her run for only a moment, giving her a head start. Then he took off after her, knocking over students in his path, never letting her frizzy brown hair out of his sight. She ran up some stairs, knocking over a suit of armor, hoping to slow him down. She didn't realize his quidditch skills would come in handy when it came to his reflexes. Draco jumped over the suit of armor, following her without a hitch.

Hermione ran all the way to the greenhouses, not sure why she chose to go there. She could have went to the dorm, locked herself in her room, but for some unknown reason, a part deep within her wanted him to catch her. She made it to the greenhouses, freezing when she realized she had no where else to go.

Draco stood at the doorway watching her look around the room, apparently unsure of what to do next. She turned around, seeing him at the door. Her heart skipped a beat. Her body trembled. Draco's nostrils flared as he walked determinedly towards her. She turned around, looking for any escape route she could find. Before she could move, he had both of her arms pinned above her head as he shoved her into the wall fiercely.

Hermione felt like her spine was one with the wall, the cold of the stone creeping through her shirt, sending shivers through her body. Draco clenched his jaw as he swallowed hard, pressing his lips together. She glared at him, his face inches from hers as he pressed his body hard against hers. He could feel every tremble going through her body.

She spat in his face. Draco quickly moved his head to the side, the spit only hitting the side of his jaw.

"Fucking bitch" he whispered angrily, gripping her wrists tighter. She was sure they were going to break in half at any moment. She wriggled beneath him, only making him push her into the wall further, their bodies pressed together so tightly, she could feel the thing she'd been admiring only that morning. Her breath was still heavy from running, her heart still hadn't evened out its pace, only becoming more rapid with each moment as his hair fell over her own face.

Draco could smell her shampoo, it was intoxicating to him. The mix of her smell, their sweat, and the frustrated passion between them was driving him mad. His face centimeters from hers, he could barely stand it. She stopped wriggling, her breathing matching his. She licked her lips instinctively, feeling his hard body so close to her own. Hermione closed her eyes, sure he was going to kill her at any moment, only it never came. Something that surprised her more came. He kissed her.

Draco kissed her harshly, biting at her lips, waiting for a response. He fully expected her to knee him, or kick him, but it never came. She kissed him back, opening her mouth, granting him full access. His grip on her wrists loosened, letting go of one completely, gripping the back of her head as they kissed passionately. Their hatred flowed through them like fuel to their passion.

Suddenly, Draco let her go, walking away from her to the other side of the room, a hand on his hip while the other running through his own hair in frustration. He spat on the stone floor, pretending to be disgusted with himself.

Hermione stayed frozen against the wall, unsure of what just happened. She shook her head, looking up at the ceiling. "What the fuck was that?" she said hoarsely, still staring at the ceiling.

Draco rubbed his neck, swallowing hard, "Whatever, let's just get this done" he said quietly, turning towards the pile of stones he'd made yesterday.

She shook her head, storming towards him, "NO! No we will not just get this done. What the fuck was that, Malfoy?" she said, turning him around to her.

"What do you think it was? Don't recognize a kiss when you feel it? Is weasel that terrible? Not that it surprises me" he added. She slapped him again.

"Fuck you, Draco Malfoy! Fuck you! I have a damn boyfriend! A boyfriend that would do anything for me! Are you really trying to fuck up my life that hard?" she yelled at him, continuously hitting his chest.

He grabbed her wrists again, getting close to her face as he stared intensely at her. She gulped. "If you really fucking loved him, you wouldn't have kissed me back, Granger" he whispered, cocking his head to the side.

"You smug bastard" she whispered, glaring at him. He let her go, making her stumble backwards a few steps. "If you tell anyone about this, I'll kill you" she whispered to him once she regained her balance.

He laughed, "Don't worry, Granger, not like I want my reputation ruined any more than you want people to know you're cheating on weasel"

"I am not cheating on him!" she yelled.

He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow but not saying anything. Picking up a stone from the pile, he tossed it in his hand, then threw it back on the pile, starting his work again.

Hermione worked the rest of the day, ignoring Draco as much as she could. She remembered to perform a warming charm on herself that day, so that there would be no incident like the day before. She didn't know how long they worked, the sun set too quickly for her. Before she knew it, Harry was in the doorway yelling for her.

"Hermione, you coming to supper?" he asked her.

"Oh, right. I didn't even notice the time, Harry. Where's Ron" she asked him, dusting her pants off with her hands.

"Thought it might be better if I came, don't want another fight" he told her quietly, glancing at Draco.

"Smart move, Potter" Draco said, his back turned to both of them.

"Malfoy" Harry said, acknowledging him. "Are you ready, Hermione?" he asked her again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming" she said, glancing again at Draco. Draco turned slightly, catching her eye before she turned, following Harry out of the room.

Draco pressed his lips together in frustration. Picking up the nearest rock, he lunged, throwing it with everything he had through the nonexistent columns that once stood around the greenhouses. Picking up another, he threw it also, yelling in frustration.

Hermione walked carefully around the corner of the doorway. She'd forgotten her coat that she wore that morning. She watched Draco carefully as he threw stones over and over again into the night, yelling with each one. Every muscle in his arm twitched with each throw. Finally he brought both of his hands to his head, pulling at his hair as he paced around the room, looking at the night sky. He picked up another stone, hurling it further and faster than he had the rest of them.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, he yelled, "FUCK!" to no one in particular. Hermione hoped he wouldn't see her as she grabbed her coat. Doing a double-take, Draco noticed her trying to sneak past him to get her coat. Quickly, he picked it up before she could.

"Forget this?" he asked, his breathing uneven.

She avoided his eyes, "I might have"

He threw it to her, knocking her off-balance. She looked up, glaring at him before walking away and out of the room, leaving him alone again.

Draco didn't know how long he stayed at the greenhouses. The work was keeping his mind off of everything, giving his hands something to do. He moved rocks, putting them back in to place, picked up glass from the floor, extended the area of the greenhouse with the large stones he had in the corner, and much more. He didn't know what time he finally sat down on the cold stone floor, slumping into the corner as his body gave out on him.

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><p><strong>AN: Please review! :-) Hope you're enjoying!**


	3. You're the Same As Me

**A/N:: Thanks for the review everyone! I love hearing what you think about my story...good, bad, and ugly, lol. Here's the next chapter, Enjoy!**

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><p>Hermione didn't see Draco for two days. He wasn't in the dorm, she couldn't find him at the greenhouses, and he was never at breakfast or supper. Yesterday had been a free day, so she hadn't really looked for him, but today was the second day she couldn't find him. It was late, almost midnight, she'd been working on her homework all day in the Heads' common room, away from everyone. Slowly, she fell asleep on the couch.<p>

After showing the next morning, she walked to breakfast, sitting down with Ron and Harry who were discussing unique ideas for the quidditch pitch. She couldn't concentrate, wondering where Draco was. Their kiss haunted her thoughts, popping into her mind during the most inconvenient times, like when she was making out with Ron.

She played with the food on her plate, unable to make herself eat. Each time the doors opened, she would look up, hoping it was him, but it never was. She glanced towards the Slytherin table, he wasn't there either. Standing, Harry and Ron looked at her curiously.

"Hermione, is something wrong? You've been acting odd lately" Ron said, tugging at the hem of her shirt.

"I'm fine. Just need a bit of air. All the homework yesterday gave me a headache I think" she lied. Walking quickly away from the table, she saw Blaise ahead of her, leaving at the same time. She quickened her pace, intent on asking him where Draco was.

"Zabini!" she said loudly.

He stopped, turning around and smirking at her in the empty hallway, "Didn't get enough the other day, Granger?" he asked.

"Oh shut up, I don't even know why I bothered" she said, regretting her decision and pushing past him.

"You want to know where Draco is" he said loudly. She stopped in her tracks, turning around towards him.

"Have you tried the greenhouses?" he asked her, stepping slowly towards her.

"Of course I have, that's the first place I looked. He hasn't been to the dorm in three nights" she told him.

He raised an eyebrow, "Keeping up with him very closely, aren't you?" he said. She rolled her eyes, turning to walk away from him again.

"Try the greenhouses again. Actually look around this time" he told her. She went to say something back to him, but he'd already turned, walking down the hall the opposite way. She walked quickly all the way to the greenhouses, not stopping to talk to anyone along the way. When she arrived, she actually walked out into the barren area, unlike what she'd done yesterday when she'd just stood at the doorway. As she looked around, she noticed how much had changed in two days. The stone floor was extended, looking over the high cliff. He'd started building a pergola in the walkway, sand in the stone on either side of it for plants to grow in and up it.

She looked around, taking in everything around her, not sure if it was real or not. To her left, he'd started rebuilding the greenhouses one sheet of glass at a time.

"Looking for something, Granger?" a voice said from behind her.

She turned around quickly, looking up and finding Draco crouching atop the framework of the greenhouse he was working on. His face was dirty, vulnerable, smudge marks on his cheeks, his hair glistened with the snow from that morning and sweat. His white t-shirt had dirt all on it, along with his blue jeans. It was by far the sexiest Hermione had ever seen him.

She swallowed hard before responding, "I think I found it" she said quietly.

He laughed softly, "Right. Right, been worried about me, have you?"

"What? No!" she said quickly, defending herself.

He hopped down from the framework, facing her, "Don't fret, love. I won't tell anyone" he told her, thumping the bottom of her chin with his finger and winking. He walked past her, underneath the pergola he'd started building, leaning against waist-high stone. The wind caught his hair, drying it slightly as Hermione stared at him.

She was puzzled by this 'new-Draco-behavior.' "Does Professor Sprout know what you're doing?" she asked him, intent on keeping her mind from wandering.

He turned around, smirking at her, "Of course she does. What kind of Head Boy would I be if I didn't ask permission first" he told her.

She rolled her eyes at his arrogance. She shook her head, walking over to the stone, standing beside him. She looked out at the winter sun's rays hitting the lake, it was a perfect picture. Draco looked slightly at her as the wind caught her hair, sending her shampoo's scent his way. This girl was going to drive him mad. He turned, leaning sideways on the stone wall, staring at her. She felt him watching her.

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head, "Nothing" he told her, smiling slightly.

She turned towards him, "Oh come off it, Malfoy, what is it?" she asked.

He hung his head slightly, "It's Draco" he told her.

She swallowed hard, "What?"

"My name. It's Draco" he told her, running a hand through his hair and giving her a slight smile as he looked away from her. She was puzzled. When she didn't say anything, Draco walked backwards away from her, sighing. He hopped back up on the framework of the greenhouse, taking his wand out to continue working.

She was embarrassed, "So. What would you like for me to do?" she asked him quietly, avoiding his eyes.

"Could you hand me that piece of glass there?" he told her, pointing to the piece of glass at her feet. She picked it up gently, handing it to him.

They worked the rest of the day like that, Hermione avoiding his eyes, Draco simply asking her to hand him things so that he could put the greenhouse together. She was in a daze most of the day, only brought back to reality when she realized the sun had went down and it was dark.

Draco hopped down from the now completed greenhouse, completely famished. He looked at Hermione's dazed face, wondering what she was thinking about.

"Are you ok?" he asked her suddenly.

She blinked a few times, "Yeah, yeah, fine. Actually, I'm not feeling too well, I think I'll go lie down" she said quietly, leaving the room quickly and walking to the dorm. Draco stared after her, then wiped his face with a towel he'd brought from the dorm that morning. He was starving.

He walked into the Great Hall without caring what he looked like. He knew he must look terrible by the way everyone was looking at him. He sat down at the almost empty table, as a lot of students had already eaten and gone up to their dorms to bed, and grabbed a handful of food, sitting it on his plate.

He ate quickly, not wanting to draw anymore attention to himself than what was already on him. After he finished, he stuffed a soup bowl and utensils in his bag, looking around the room nervously before getting up and heading to the head dorm.

Hermione laid on the floor in front of the fireplace, staring at the ceiling. Ron had been by, but she told him she didn't feel well, and she couldn't be around him right then. It had worked. She just didn't feel like being with him at that moment, and she wasn't sure why. She looked up at the sound of the portrait hole opening. Draco walked in, looking around the room. She assumed he was looking for her because he looked up to her room, then back to the fireplace when he saw that her door was open.

He stared at her body lying on the floor for a moment before taking his bag off of his shoulder and setting it down in front of the couch. "You didn't go eat anything" he said quietly, sitting in the armchair.

She sat up slightly on her elbows, "No, I really don't feel well" she said hoarsely. He bent down on the floor beside her, his hand reaching out to feel her face. Automatically, she slapped his hands.

He sighed, reaching for her again. She slapped his hands again, sitting up a little more on the rug. "I'm fine! I don't need you checking on me!" she said, irritated with him as she pushed him away.

He pressed his lips together, "Granger" he said warningly. She slapped him across the face, reopening the scar she'd already placed on his cheek. His nostrils flared, "Will. You. Stop. Fighting. Me!" he told her, pushing her backwards.

He looked around the room in frustration, "I try to be fucking nice, and you push me away! What do you want, Hermione? Do you want me to fucking push you around, treat you like shit? I just want to check on you! Fuck!" he yelled at her.

Hearing her name come from his lips sent her heart in a rapid motion. Truthfully, his anger turned her on. She liked fighting with him, it made her feel alive, like something was real in her life. She didn't want to admit it, but her life had been so full of adventure when Voldemort was alive, and now…now the only adventure and danger in her life was him. It thrilled her.

"Fine" she said quietly, sitting on her knees. He did a double-take, looking at her angry face. Slowly, he reached out for her again, this time meeting little resistance as he took her face in his hands. She was on fire. He felt her arms, she was shivering.

"Are you cold?" he asked her.

She wasn't sure if the chills were from her being cold or from his touch, either way, as wrong as she knew it was, she wanted his arms around her. "Yes" she lied.

He grabbed the blanket from off of the back of the couch, throwing it around her shoulders. He then went to wrap his arms around her, but hesitated. "Are you going to hit me?" he asked, his lips pressed together.

"Not this time" she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her as he'd done earlier in the week, trying to warm her with friction. His skin was cold with sweat as she laid her head on his chest, her forehead hitting his neck. He moved his arms up and down her back. She continued to get chills as they sat there together in silence, the both of them staring into the fire.

Hermione didn't know how long it was before she fell asleep in his arms. The next thing she knew, she felt the sun hitting her face through the window. Only realizing that she was next to a warm body, she snuggled closer, pushing her head further into his chest. Draco had laid back against the couch once she'd fallen asleep. He knew he was going to have the worst neck cramp in the morning.

Hermione's eyes popped open, the memory of last night coming into her head. She'd realized where she was. She jumped back away from Draco, startling him.

"Fuck, Hermione. Give me a bit of warning, would you?" he told her, rubbing his stomach where she'd just pushed off of him abruptly.

"You could give me a bit of warning about that thing that was creeping up beside me" she told him, pointing to his pants.

He laughed, shaking his head as he sat up, rubbing his face. "One. It's called a dick, and two. It's morning" he told her as if she should know this already.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked him, her arms folded across her chest.

"Oh come on, morning wood? Seriously, you were around those two twats for 7 years and you never once noticed? Not even with weasel?" he asked her.

"No!" she told him.

"Wow…you have had sex, haven't you?" he asked her, still rubbing his face.

"What? How can you ask me that! That's none of your damn business!" she yelled in a high-pitched voice, throwing a large pillow at him.

He sighed, "Right, right. I take that as a no then" he said, getting up from the floor. She got up from the floor also, pushing him hard. Draco stumbled slightly, staring at her. She slapped his face, "How dare you try to size up my personal life? It's none of your fucking business!" she yelled, slapping his arms now.

He lunged at her, grabbing her hair and pulling it. It didn't phase her, she continued to hit him, now in his stomach with as much force as she had. "Will you stop, you stupid bitch!" he yelled, still pulling at her hair.

She screamed, falling to the floor as he pulled harder. He fell with her, her arms gripping his, her nails digging into them deeply, scratching him. She stared at his wincing face as he let go of her hair when they fell. When he opened back up his eyes, she found herself lost in them for a moment as she laid ontop of him in an awkward position.

Feeling her let up for a moment, he grabbed her shoulders, pushing her over, back on the floor, positioning himself ontop of her. Hermione felt her breath become ragged as he laid there on top of her, his face inches from hers again. Instinctually, she licked her lips, shaking as she brought her lips closer to his open mouth. In one foul swoop, she captured them, like pouncing on her prey.

She grabbed his hair in her open hand, gripping it tightly as their tongues fought for control. Draco felt her bottom lip quivering as he kissed her intensely, her chest rising and falling quickly, as if she was terrified of what she was doing.

He released her mouth, planting wet kisses down her jaw, biting at the skin on the small of her neck. She arched, gasping for air as he nibbled at her skin. She gripped his hair tighter in her hands, pulling at it, pulling him back up to her mouth where she bit his bottom lip. Abruptly, Hermione opened her eyes, realizing what she was doing.

She pushed him off of her, sitting up quickly and touching her lips delicately with her fingertips. Draco sat back on his knees, breathing harshly, running a hand through his hair as he stared at her bewildered expression. She stood, pacing around the room, shaking her head all the while.

"I can't do this" she whispered, more to herself than to him. "I have a boyfriend, Ron. Ron loves me. He'd…he'd…" she said quietly.

Draco watched her pace, watched her sort out her thoughts in her head outloud. He ran a hand on his neck, rubbing in gently. It really did hurt from the way he slept. Standing, he took a deep breath, walking past Hermione and towards the staircase. She stared at him.

"What are you doing? We have to talk about this!" she yelled.

"I don't have to talk about anything" he said quietly, turning around to face her.

"What? Yes you do! We have to discuss this! It's really quite simple!" she told him, trying to convince herself.

"Hermione, whatever this is" he said, making a motion between the two of them, "it isn't simple. Not by a fucking longshot" he told her, stepping up onto the staircase.

She picked up the nearest thing she could find, hurling at his head, "Draco! We have to talk about this! You can't just go blabbing off to your friends!" she yelled. He threw his hands up, blocking the book she'd thrown, then walked back down the stairs, getting in her face.

"I've already told you. There's no chance in hell of that" he told her angrily.

"Really? And why's that?" she asked, staring up into his grey eyes.

"Because you have more to loose than me" he told her, turning and walking all the way up the staircase to his room. She stared after him, her mind running a million miles a minute. She couldn't get a single thought together.

Soon, she heard Draco coming back down the stairs, now showered and cleaned and in new clothes. She didn't look up as he walked slowly towards her to where she sat on the couch.

"Oh. I guess I should go get ready then" she said quietly, going to stand up. He pushed her back down. Reaching up to her forehead, he felt of it, looking for her fever.

"You still have a fever, you're not going anywhere" he told her.

"Like hell I'm not!" she told him, pushing his hand away from her and going to stand.

"Gods, dammit Hermione! Sit your ass down, now!" he demanded of her. "For once in your fucking life, listen to someone that is trying to help you!" he told her. She sat back down, scared for her life.

He was surprised that she sat down, but tried not to show it on his face. He pulled the bowl and utensils he'd gotten the night before out of his bag, sitting it on the table beside him. He stood up from the couch.

"You are going to lay here all fucking day long. You are not going to get up unless you have to piss. Sir Codogan is not going to let you out of the portrait hole, nor is he going to let anyone in here unless it's me" he told her. She tried to protest, but he put his hand over her mouth.

"Shut. Up" he told her. Reaching across her, he grabbed the bowl, performing a charm on it. It instantly filled up with soup. He handed it to her.

"You haven't eaten, I brought this with me last night to give you but you were kind of an ass so I'm giving it to you now. It will keep refilling, and stay warm, whenever you are ready to eat" he told her, running a hand through his hair.

She glanced up at him, "Why are you doing this?" she whispered.

He pressed his lips together, trying to avoid the question as he grabbed his bag, putting it on his shoulder. He took another glance at her before heading towards the portrait hole.

"Draco?" she said softly. He stopped, turning around slightly, his hair falling into his eyes.

"Thank you" she told him. He nodded, turning and exiting out of the room completely. After explaining things to the crazy knight, he went down to breakfast.

He sat down across from Blaise as he usually did, putting two pieces of toast on his plate and grabbing the strawberry jam, slathering it on the toast.

"You look pleased with yourself this morning" Blaise observed.

"Not hardly" Draco told him, biting into his toast.

"Well, atleast you don't have that silly sad look on your face anymore. What's changed?" Blaise asked.

Draco was about to answer when he saw Ron storming angrily up to the table. He looked at Blaise, nodding towards Ron, then said, "This should be fun" under his breath.

"What the bloody hell are you playing at?" Ron yelled at him.

"What are you talking about, weasel?" Draco asked lazily.

"You won't let anyone in to see Hermione! She'd my girlfriend! I have a right to see my girlfriend! Why isn't she at breakfast? What, are you keeping her locked up in that bloody tower like a fucking muggle princess or something?" Ron yelled.

Draco laughed at him. "You've been reading too many fairy tales, weasel" he told him.

"You slimy fuck, why can't I go in there to see my girlfriend? Why isn't she down here?" Ron yelled.

"Mr. Weasley! While I would like to know the same thing, there is no excuse for that language! 10 points from Gryffindor!" McGonagall yelled at him from her table.

Draco stood, looking around the room. "Granger's sick. She's got a really bad fever. That's why she's not here" he told them loudly, glaring at Ron.

"Why didn't you just take her to the infirmary?" Ron asked, shaking his head. "Or why didn't she tell me? Why you?" he asked.

"She did tell you. Last night. Why didn't you take her?" Draco spat at him.

"Are you trying to tell me I'm a bad boyfriend, Malfoy?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Well, you don't fucking pay attention to her, do you?" Draco said under his breath. Ron lunged at him across the table, only to be held back by Harry. Blaise had stood, catching Ron's arm in his hand, squeezing it. Ron thought his arm was going to break in half.

"Let go, Blaise. He's not worth it" Draco told him. Blaise let him go, throwing him backwards. Straightening up, Blaise turned, walking out of the Great Hall with Draco. Draco shoved his hands into the pockets of his black suit as they walked.

"You COWARD! You fucking COWARD!" Ron yelled. Draco continued walking, ignoring him.

Once they reached the hall, Blaise glanced at Draco, "Want to tell me what's going on?" he asked him.

"Not really, no. I'm not entirely sure that there is something going on" Draco said, shaking the hair from his face.

Blaise raised an eyebrow, "Whatever you say, mate. Just be careful" he told him, walking away from him. Draco ran a hand through his own hair, "Right" he whispered to himself. He took a deep breath, breaking out into a jog to the greenhouses.

He took off his button-down shirt, vest, and suit jacket, leaving only his black undershirt as he started working again on the pergola. This project had to be finished by the end of the week, and with Hermione sick, he was going to be working double as hard.

By midnight, he was exhausted. He'd finished the pergola and put up the second greenhouse. He sank to the cold stone floor, laying down up under the pergola, staring up at the stars. It was almost as beautiful as seeing them from the astronomy tower.

A shadow walked across the moonlight beside him to his left. Sitting up, he saw Hermione walking towards him, the blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

"Hermione! What-" he started to say.

"Shh! Don't get up. I want to look at everything you did" she told him, walking around.

He looked at her curiously, "How'd you get out?" he asked.

"Sir Codogan told me I could since it was after midnight. You didn't specify a time" she told him, smirking.

"Stupid knight. I knew I should have been specific. So why are you here?" he asked, realizing that she'd went there instead of going to Gryffindor Tower.

"You hadn't come back yet" she said, taking a seat beside him.

"No. I mean, why did you come here and not to Gryffindor tower?" he asked.

"I guess it's just kind of where my feet led me" she said quietly, looking up in his grey eyes. He searched her face for any sign that she'd given what was happening between them thought. He couldn't be sure.

Swallowing hard, he looked away from her and back at the sky, laying back down as he searched the sky. She stared at him. After looking around for a minute, she laid down also, trying to find what he was looking at.

"Draco, you're freezing" she said as her hand hit his arm.

"I'm fine. Used to it" he told her.

"Shut up, You're just as fucking stubborn as me" she told him, taking the blanket off of her shoulders. He stopped her.

"No. You're sick. Keep the damn blanket. I'm the dumbass sitting out here in freezing weather without a coat on" he told her, wrapping the blanket back around her shoulders as he sat up. "Besides, you're just looking for an excuse to get close to me" he said smugly.

She hit his stomach, "Fuck you, Draco"

He grabbed her, pulling her closer by the folds of the blanket. "It'd be the best fuck of your life" he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She nearly melted, his breath licking her neck delicately as he whispered to her.

Swallowing hard, her eyes widened as he let go of her, staring back at her. For the second time that day, Hermione wasn't sure what to do. The heat between her legs told her one thing, her head telling her another. Draco sensed her conflict.

"Come on, you need to get out of this air" he told her, grabbing her face and kissing her forehead softly. He stood, reaching down and offering her a hand. She took it without hesitation, walking with him back to their dorm.

Hermione walked up the steps to her room silently behind Draco. She stopped outside of her door, watching him open up his own door.

"Need something else, Hermione?" he asked

She shook her head, "No. Good night Draco" she told him softly.

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><p><strong>AN::: Please review! :-)**


	4. It's a Different Day

Hermione woke the next morning, rolling over and finding something of an odd texture on her pillow. She opened her eyes to find a single red rose laying on her pillow. She smiled to herself, thinking of how sweet Ron was, and how concerned he must be. She picked it up, smelling it. It was beautiful.

After showering, she walked down to breakfast, feeling better than she had yesterday, but still not 100% better. She knew she still had a slight fever. She found Ron and Harry sitting towards the middle of the Gryffindor table. She walked happily towards them, kissing Ron full on the mouth when she reached them.

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Well, good morning Hermione" he said, clearing his throat.

"It is, isn't it?" she said, smiling, helping herself to some of the oatmeal in front of her. Ron was still recovering from her surprise kiss.

"I take it you feel better then?" he asked her.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Yes I do. I'm sorry about that, Ronald. Draco was very demanding. I think he just doesn't want to have to do all the Head duties by himself next week if I'm sick" she said, grasping his hand.

Ron nodded, "Right" he told her, continuing to eat his food.

"Oh, and thank you for the rose, it was beautiful, very sweet" she told him, giving him another kiss. Ron stared at her, puzzled for a moment, "Oh, right. Rose. Yeah, glad you liked it" he said, assuming Harry was once again picking up his slack.

"Well, I must be going. A lot left to do on the greenhouses. They're coming along very nicely. See you later" she said, hoping up from the table and giving Ron a quick peck on the cheek before exiting the Great Hall.

Ron looked at Harry, "Thanks for picking up my slack, mate. This whole Malfoy thing is got me all out of whack" he said.

Harry gave him a quizzical look, "Oh right, the rose, yeah, anytime mate. Hey, I have to be going. Need to see McGonagall about some of the pitch ideas. See you out there?" he said, getting up from the table and leaving without waiting for a response. He walked out into the hall outside of the Great Hall, looking up and down it for Malfoy. After walking a bit, he finally found him.

"Malfoy" he said loudly. Draco turned around, then walked a short ways towards Harry.

"Potter" he said.

Harry looked up and down the hall before addressing him. "I don't know what's going on between you and Hermione, or if there even is anything going on, but I won't lie to my best friend again. I know the rose came from you"

"How do you know that? It could have been anyone" Draco told him.

"Because I've seen the way you look at her. I'm not stupid, ok? And I won't lie to Ron again" Harry told him.

"So why'd you do it this time?" Draco asked.

"I did it for Ron. He doesn't know how to live without her. Don't fuck it up" Harry said, glaring at him and then turning away, walking down the hall away from Draco. Draco ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with himself. Turning around, he kicked the nearest suit of armor, making it crash to the ground, startling a couple of 3rd years who were walking down the hall at the time.

He walked away, almost in a jog, towards the greenhouses, something insane playing in his mind. He walked through the doorframe, looking around for Hermione. He found her inside the first greenhouse, setting up some of the tables.

"Oh hello, Draco" she said in a chipper mood. "I was just…are you o-" she started to ask him, but was cut off by his lips on hers. It wasn't like their previous kisses, the hatred and ferocity nonexistent. It was soft, like the petals on the rose he'd laid on her pillow that morning. She noticed a longing in it that hadn't been there before, like this was the last time he'd kiss her and it was killing him.

He laid his hands on either side of her face, cupping it softly as he kissed her. After a couple of seconds, he pulled away from her, laying his forehead on hers.

She was nearly breathless, "What…what was…" she started saying.

He moved a piece of hair from her face, "I just wanted to know what that felt like before I wasn't allowed to do it again"

"Draco, you've never been allowed to do it" she told him.

He turned, pacing around the small greenhouse, "But it still happened. And I won't let you stand there and tell me you felt nothing, Hermione" he told her angrily.

"Where is this coming from? What's going on?" she asked, unable to bring herself to deny it.

"Nevermind. Let's just get this done. Two more days is going to be too long to have to work this close to you" he said under his breath.


	5. I Cant Tell You What It Really Is

**A/N::: Thanks for the reviews, everyone... I'm glad people are enjoying this as much as I'm enjoying writing it... In this chapter, i have exerts from 'Love the Way You Lie' by Eminem...just a forewarning so no one gets confused! lol, Enjoy :-) **

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><p>Draco sat at the Slytherin table with Blaise once again the next Monday morning, waiting on the schedules for the week. In he and Hermione's last two days of working together on the greenhouse project, they'd hardly talked. Avoiding each other as much as possible.<p>

McGonagall was walking around, talking to the students, handing them their schedules. Draco looked on lazily around the room, his eyes always falling on Hermione's face. She was sitting in Ron's lap, laughing at his latest joke. Her hair fell around her face as Ron played with her fingers. Draco swallowed hard, he couldn't do this. It was becoming harder and harder to stand by and watch her when he knew that she felt something for him.

Hermione felt eyes on her as she laughed. She knew who's they were. Looking slightly to her right and across the Ravenclaw table, she found Draco's cold grey eyes watching her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, swallowing hard as she stared back at him.

Draco's lock was broken by McGonagall blocking his view as she came to stand in front of him, handing him his schedule.

"Mr. Malfoy, excellent job on the greenhouses. They look magnificent. I especially love the pergola" she told him. Draco nodded, reading his schedule silently. He saw that he didn't have much that week, mostly studies instead of a large project like last week. He was going to have a lot of free time on his hands.

"Professor, is there any thing that I can pick up, project-wise and do this week? I need to stay as busy as I can" he told her.

She looked at him quizzically, "Well, I'm sure Potter could use help on the quidditch pitch, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to help him. But…" she said, thinking a minute, "Well, there is something you could help me with. Come with me. Mr. Zabini, would you mind handing the rest of these out to the rest of the Slytherin house?" she asked, handing Blaise the stack of schedules and then ushering Draco out of the Great Hall.

She walked ahead of him all the way to the owlery, along the newly made bridge that had just been finished two weeks before. Draco ducked under a low hanging rafter that had fallen over the door. He stepped over the rubble of the dark brown brick that had once stood tall around the building. Professor McGonagall went to the middle of the now empty room, the owls perched on any and everything they could, missing their once brilliant posts.

"Mr. Malfoy, your skills on the greenhouses were exceptional, if you'd like, you can work on this. By yourself this time, if that's how you want it. These owls, they have no where to go, they miss their home" she told him, almost in tears.

Draco walked forward, placing a hand on Professor McGonagall's arm. "I'll do it, Professor. You don't worry about it any longer" he told her.

"Thank you Draco." she said, walking back towards the entrance. "Oh, Draco, I won't give you a deadline, but you have to do your other projects and homework also. I'm giving you this because you requested it, not as something to blow off your other duties on" she told him.

"I understand Professor. I won't let you down" he told her sincerely.

"I know you wont. You really have grown up, Draco. I'm proud of you" she told him, smiling slightly.

"Thank you, Headmistress" he said, smiling at her as he picked up a piece of rubble, tossing it around in his hand. She left him then, heading back to the castle. Draco sighed, this was exactly what he needed. A project far away from the castle, far away from everyone else, a place to think, a place to get away.

He picked up a long piece of what used to be a rafter and sat it against the wall, moving it out of his way. The rest of the day was like that, moving things out of his way, giving him a clean workspace.

When night fell, he retreated back to his dorm, sitting down at the desk in the corner with a graph paper notepad, drawing out the dimensions of the owlery, and how he wanted it to look when he was done.

Hermione went through her day like a zombie, she went through the motions of doing her homework, helping out Harry and Ron with rebuilding the quidditch pitch, and going to lunch and supper with them. Once her day was finally done, she went back to her dorm, sulking the whole way. She didn't know what she was supposed to say to him. She assumed she was supposed to at like she'd been acting the past two days, ignoring him, but this was different. She hadn't been working with him all day, she couldn't just ignore him, could she?

She walked into the dorm, finding Draco asleep on the desk, his hair covering his eyes delicately. He looked so innocent as he slept. She stared at him from across the small room, watching the rise and fall of his chest. Something tugged at her stomach, wanting her to go over to him. In the back of her mind, she was upset with him, mad at the fact that he didn't want to talk to her, confused at how she felt, and mad again for him making her feel like this.

Draco stirred, the feeling of being watched coming over him. He hadn't been asleep very long, but then again, he hadn't slept longer than 5 hours in the past week, he was exhausted. He opened his eyes slightly, finding Hermione across the room, her bag swung over her shoulder as she stood there in her dark skinny jeans, grey knit coat and purple scarf, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He sat up, staring back at her. She blushed.

"Hermione" he said quietly, gathering his papers into a neat stack.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I'll just…" she said, heading towards the stairs. Abruptly, she turned back towards him, deciding it was time she understood what his problem was. "No. You go. I need the desk" she told him demandingly.

Draco raised his eyebrows, "Right. Whatever you say" he told her quietly, standing up from the chair he was sitting in.

Hermione didn't expect him to just give her the desk, she expected a fight. But it never came… "What the fuck is your problem? Someone cut your balls off?" she said under her breath as she slammed her bag onto the table, glaring at Draco. She took her grey jacket off, laying it across the back of the chair along with her scarf.

Draco turned around, not sure he'd heard her correctly. "What was that?" he asked.

"I asked what your damn problem was? Why are you ignoring me? Why can't you stand to be in the same room as me?" she asked him.

He licked his lips as he watched her become furious with him, her face turning red. He almost laughed, "Seriously?" he said.

"Yes, seriously. Do I look like I'm joking?" she asked, rolling her eyes, her hands on her hips.

"My problem is the same reason why I'm ignoring you, why I can't be in the same room as you. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you" he told her.

_**`  
>Just gonna stand there and watch me burn<br>` **_

"Yeah? Let's pretend I'm stupid for a moment. Please, explain!" she demanded.

"I can't fucking be around you without thinking of the past week. I can't get the damn image out of my head. Every time I see you, it's all that I see, it's all that I want!" he yelled at her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked slowly, knowing already what he was talking about.

_**`  
>But that's alright because I like the way it hurts…<strong>_

`  
>"Don't play with me, Hermione. You wouldn't have kept kissing me if you didn't feel something" he said, lowering the tone of his voice as he snapped his grey eyes towards her.<p>

"I have a boyfriend!" she said defensively.

"It doesn't matter! If the feeling is there, then fuck the rest! Why can't you just admit it!" he yelled.

She shook her head, "I have a boyfriend"

He stepped towards her a little, "Tell me. Tell me you feel something" he said quietly.

She shook her head again, her low ponytail slowly coming loose. "No, no I can't" she said softly.

He stepped towards her again, slowly, "Hermione"

_**`  
>Just gonna stand there and hear me cry<strong>_

`  
>She looked up at him, a flustered look on her face. "No. No. Draco, we can't do this" she said pushing him. He was prepared this time, grabbing her arms as soon as they hit his chest, pulling her close to him. She stomped his foot, trying to get away from him.<p>

"Ah! Fuck!" he yelled, grabbing his foot immediately, letting her go.

She went to run up the stairs, but he quickly grabbed her ankle, pulling her back down the stairs and throwing her on the floor. She grabbed his hair, taking him down with her. He landed on top of her. She started beating his chest with her fists. Draco quickly grabbed her wrists, pinning them down on either side of her. She spat in his face. He turned just in time to avoid it.

Swallowing hard, Draco sat up slightly, her wrists still in his hands as he stratled her waist. His breathing was uneven as he stared at her furious face. Pulling hard, he yanked her up level with him, her open mouth now millimeters from his. He avoided her eyes as they sat there, catching their breath.

Hermione didn't know what it was about their fighting, but the passion between them when they fought turned her on. She loved it. It was part of the reason why she picked so many fights with him, pushing him all the time.  
>`<p>

_****_But that's alright because I love the way you lie…_**  
>I love the way you lie…<strong>_

`  
>She stared at his lips, trying to hold herself back from capturing them. Her body was trembling, nervous as she thought of what her body might do next.<p>

Her willpower failed. Her trembling lips captured his just as their breathing had evened. Her stomach was sent into knots again, the butterflies creeping up from her abdomen to her chest. Every muscle in her body wanted him, and there was little her mind could do about it.

Draco kissed her back fiercely, letting go of her wrists. Hermione pushed him back as she continued to kiss him, now sitting on her knees. Her fingers entwined tightly in his hair, pulling it. He loved her fingers in his hair, even if she was pulling it like a madwoman. He moved his hands from her sides, grabbing her ass tightly, squeezing. She bit his lip as he squeezed her.

She moved, stratling his waist now as she moved her hands from his hair to the bottom of his shirt, ripping it off of him. She sat back on his knees, admiring the body she'd been picturing in her dreams for the past week.

Draco shook the hair from his eyes, leaning into her again, sucking at her neck. He was sending shivers down her spine and the heat between her legs was going to drive her mad. She moaned against him as he nibbled at her earlobe and collarbone. His hands picked her ass up, arching her into him, closer to him. She dug her nails into his chest as he bit her neck, her eyes rolling in the back of her head. She tilted her neck, staring up at the ceiling.

He moved a hand to her sweater, lifting it up and over her head. He moved from her neck to her chest, planting kissed the whole way, finding his way between her breasts where he buried his head. It tickled her. She giggled, pushing his head further into her chest before pulling at his hair, bringing his mouth back up to hers.

She moved her hands from his hair to his pants, unbuckling them quickly, exposing his erection, precum already on the very tip. She took him in her hand, caressing the tip gently with her thumb before sliding her fingers up and down it slowly.

**_`  
>I can't tell you what it really is<em>**

`  
>"Fuck, Granger" he whispered against her lips. She smiled slightly, biting his lip slowly. He looked in her eyes, they were confident, intense. She was ready. He grabbed her working hand, stopping her from ending it too soon. Taking his other hand, he undid her pants. She helped him take them off, kicking her legs out of them.<p>

Pulling her hair fiercely, he sat up on his knees, pulling her down to the floor beneath him. Without warning, he pushed himself into her, almost sending her body into shock. She wasn't prepared for this. She moaned loudly, her breath escaping her as she felt him slam into her again. She arched her back as he rocked in and out of her. Her nails dug into his back, she knew she was drawing blood. He slammed in and out of her at a quick pace, each thrust more powerful than the one before. He was going to ram her until she was numb.

**_`  
>I can only tell you what it feels like…<em>**

`  
>The passion and hatred of seven years were released between the two of them in less than 15 minutes. She didn't know how much more she was going to be able to take, feeling her body tremble. Draco's thrust became faster as he felt her tighten around him, her nails digging deeper and deeper into his back. She moaned loudly, gripping his shoulder blades.<p>

Sweat beaded off of his forehead as he reached his end, thrusting harder and harder into her. Hermione screamed. Draco kissed her intensely as they both came at the same time. He pulled out of her quickly, as he forgot to do a contraception charm.

He rolled off of her, laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Hermione was at a loss for words, unable to find the words to describe what she'd just experienced. She couldn't feel the lower half of her body. They both stayed there, catching their breath, staring at the ceiling. She was the first to recover.

"What…what just happened" she said, still trying to even out her breathing.

"The moth flew into the flame, " he finally said, finding the only words he could think of to describe it.

**_`  
>And right now, it's a steel knife in my windpipe<em>**

`  
>She moved her head slightly, looking at his exhausted figure. She slapped his arm. He immediately tapped her side, not even glancing over at her. She sat up, punching his arm. He cocked his head to the side as he looked over at her, sitting up slightly. He pushed her. She slapped his arm again, only this time he caught her hand as she pulled back. He grabbed her hair with his other hand, pulling it slightly, She winced, kicking him as best she could. He let go of her hair, grabbing her ankle. She kicked his stomach with her other foot. He let go of her completely this time, holding his stomach and glaring at her.<p>

He shook his head, standing and pulling his pants back up. "Stupid bitch" he muttered, cocking an eyebrow at her as he walked to the stairs.

"Arrogant asshole" she said loudly, rolling her eyes. He walked up the stairs, glancing back at her half-naked figure as he made it to the landing.

"Night Hermione" he yelled back to her.

She smiled to herself, secretly thrilled at what had just happened, "Goodnight, Draco" she said.

_**`  
>I can't breathe, but I still fight while I can fight<br>As long as the wrong feels right, it's like i'm in flight... **_

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><p><strong>AN::: Please review! What did you think of this chapter? Did i have them move too quickly? Should i slow down? I'm loving the honesty in the reviews! Update coming soon! :-)**


	6. She Resuscitates Me

_**High off of love, drunk from her hate**_

_**It's like I'm huffing paint, and I love it, the more I suffer **_

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling…well, exhausted. Her body was numb, she wasn't sure she'd be able to move. As she turned her head towards the window, she saw another rose on her pillow. Now she was confused.

She took a long shower, got dressed and walked out of her room. Draco was already gone. She needed to talk to him. Quickly, she walked to the Great Hall, sticking her head in the door slightly, seeing if Draco was in there. He was.

Draco ate his usual breakfast, toast and sausage. Blaise watched him curiously.

"Something the matter, mate?" Draco asked him.

"What's up with you? You look…happy this morning…" Blaise observed.

Draco nearly choked on his toast, "Sorry…what?"

"Like you just look refreshed, there's color in your face. Did you get some last night? Who was it?" Blaise said, drilling him.

"Slow down, mate. Even if I did, I'm not telling you" Draco said.

Blaise raised his eyebrows, "You didn't…"

"Didn't what…" Draco asked.

"Draco, every other girl you've fucked, you've had no problem telling me about. Did you sleep with…with her?" Blaise asked, emphasizing 'her.'

"Don't know what you're talking about. I've got to go. I'll see you later though" Draco told him quickly, getting up and leaving a smiling Blaise sitting at the Slytherin table. He walked down the hall towards the exit that led to the bridge to the owlery. He was deep in thought when he found himself being drug into a broom closet. Looking around the musty tight space, he was bewildered to find that Hermione had been the one to drag him in there.

"Hermione? What are you-" he started to ask.

She held up two roses, "Did you give me both of these?" she asked.

"What? I…Yes" he told her, his face scrunched up in confusion.

She sighed, "So that's what you were upset about? A few days ago? That I thought Ron gave me the rose and not you? He's my boyfriend!" she said defensively.

"You think I was mad because of that? No! You should be mad at weasel for lying and saying he gave you the rose!" Draco told her.

"Then what were you mad about? What was that all about?" she demanded.

He ran a hand through his hair nervously. "it's a long story" he said.

"I've got time" she told him, pressing her lips together.

"Hermione, I didn't want to force you into anything, regardless of how I feel. Potter somehow knew I'd given you the rose, told me not to fuck up your life. I was trying to stay away from you, if that's what you wanted" he told her quietly.

She swallowed hard, a lump growing in her throat. She shook her head, looking up at his face, "But…that's not what I want" she whispered.

_**And right before I'm about to drown, she resuscitates me**_

He looked up from the floor immediately, his eyes catching hers. His heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward, kissing her lips lightly, cupping her cheek in his hand. He leaned his forehead against hers, smiling inside as he took a deep breath.

"We'd better get going, people will be looking for you, especially the lesser third of the golden trio" he told her. She pressed her lips together, punching his arm lightly. She opened the door to the closet, putting the two roses in the inside of her coat. The two of them emerged, parting ways without saying anything or giving the other a second glance.

Draco went straight to the owlery, eager to get to work on the plans he'd made the night before. A large brown barn owl greeted him at the entrance, hooting impatiently. He smiled slightly at its cheek. The rest of the day he moved the rafters to the outside of the building, laying them in the light dust of snow that covered the grounds. He'd dressed warmly that day, jeans, a dark grey fleece pullover and a black beanie. He only wished he'd remembered his gloves. Taking his wand out, he stacked brick after brick up, rebuilding the outside walls carefully.

As night fell, Draco climbed up atop the newly build bridge, sitting on the edge of it as he watched the bright colors fade behind the trees. He'd never realized how good of a vantage point that particular spot was, you could see everything. It was beautiful.

He was exhausted, in need of a night where he could actually fall asleep without the worry of what tomorrow might bring. He wished he could be one of those people who didn't worry, or care, about the next day. Bring what may, he could take it. Yeah…right…

Hermione walked up to the clock tower slowly. She wanted to be alone, she wanted to think. She'd spent the day with Neville, helping the second years and Professor Sprout plant mandrakes in the brand new greenhouses. Professor Sprout was thrilled to have such a magnificent classroom.

As she leaned against the railing of the tower, looking through the glass of the clock, she spotted blonde hair atop the bridge. 'That's odd' she thought to herself, wondering why Draco would be laying on top of the bridge so far away.

Suddenly, she felt arms sneaking around her waist, soft lips on her cheek. She turned, smiling at Ron. "Hi" she told him.

"Hello. Have a good day, doll?" he asked her, kissing her lightly.

"Very good day. And yourself?" she asked him, blushing slightly.

"Not bad. Harry's in a bad mood. I'm hoping Ginny can make him feel a little better though, she was yelling at him when I left the pitch" he told her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "You hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I could go for some food" she told him. Taking one last glance at the blonde-haired figure laying on the bridge, she turned away, walking with Ron to the Great Hall.

When they sat down, Hermione went to grab the warm tomato soup that was in front of her, hoping it would warm her up. It was then that the entrance doors opened, Draco and Blaise walking in together.

She had to stop eating as she took in how sexy he looked in the beanie. He had a smudge of dirt on one of his pink cheeks, his nose a light shade of red from the cold. As she stared, she wondered again what he was doing out there on the bridge. It was already rebuilt, what could he be doing?

"Hermione, you ok?" Ron asked her.

"What? Oh, yeah, fine. Thinking about the Defense essay I have to do. I'll be up all night" she told him.

He gave her a weak smile, "Want any help?"

She touched his cheek, smiling, "No. But I will go to Gryffindor Tower tonight before going up to my dorm"

"Why can't we just go to yours?" he asked her, turning to face her and grabbing her hand.

She smiled apologetically, "Because, Ron. I don't feel like having to break up a fight between you and Draco. It's exhausting keeping the two of you from slaughtering each other" she said, sighing heavily.

"Oh, it's Draco now? When did that happen?" he asked, a little harsher than before.

"A couple of days ago. If we have to work together, we might as well be on a first name basis, you know" she told him, taking a sip of her soup.

He shook his head, "Whatever you say, Hermione"

She placed her thumb under his chin, making him look at her, "Ron. What are you worried about?" she asked.

"I don't know…Nothing, nothing, it's not like you'd go for a cowardly, arrogant twat like Malfoy, would you?" he said, laughing at himself.

She half-smiled nervously, "Right" she said quietly. She glanced up across the table at the Slytherin table, finding Draco's grey eyes staring back at her. She smiled with her eyes, blushing, before turning back to her soup, eating the last bit of it in her bowl. Draco stood, looking towards the door, and then back at her before walking out of the Great Hall.

"Oh Ron, I've just remembered, I left my book upstairs. Meet you in 15 minutes in the common room?" she said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before standing and rushing out of the Great Hall.

She looked up and down the hall for Draco, not finding him anywhere. She decided just to head towards her dorm, incase he went there. Suddenly, she felt a hand pulling her wrist. She saw a flash of blonde hair as she was pulled into an empty supply closet and shoved into the wall fiercely before she could even comprehend what was happening.

She found herself kissing Draco harshly almost immediately. It was dark, the only light in there from a small torchlight glowing in the corner. He picked her up, sitting her on the edge of a box behind him. She couldn't get to his hair very well, the beanie was in the way so she grabbed the tips as he unbuttoned her pants. His cold hands sent shivers down her body, all the way to her toes, as they touched her abdomen.

He slipped her pants down slightly, his hands resting on her bare hips as he pulled away, staring at her face. He shook his head, "I'm sorry. I couldn't wait to get you away from that fucking weasel" he told her, resting his forehead on hers.

She nodded, "Shut up and fuck me Draco, I only have 15 minutes" she demanded of him.

He smirked, "Someone's eager today" he whispered before kissing her intensely again. She moved her hands to his pants, unzipping them impatiently, pushing them down below his erect penis.

_**She fucking hates me, and I love it**_

In one movement, he pushed into her. She gripped his body with her legs, trying to keep her balance on the edge of the box as he thrust quickly in and out of her. She arched her neck, taking in a sharp breath, moaning loudly.

"Oh gods. Harder!" she demanded.

He couldn't get over her, taking control of the situation. His nails dug into her hips as he pulled her closer to him, quickening his pace. She put her hands on the walls on either side of her, steadying herself with the close walls as she started to climax.

He loved watching her as she reached her breaking point, her eyes rolling back into her head, her neck and back arching further into him, the sweat beading off of her forehead, the moans she made. The moans she was making because of him. At this, Draco reached his climax, watching her face as she came after him. The both of them sighed heavily.

He pulled out of her, laying his forehead on hers for a brief moment as they caught their breath. He stepped back, zipping his pants and observing her face. Smirking, he reached his hand up to her face, wiping the beads of sweat off.

She closed her eyes as his hands wiped the sweat from her face. He had such cold, soft hands. They never ceased to send shivers down her spine. He tucked her now slightly frizzed hair behind her ear, still smirking.

She opened her eyes, feeling his hand resting on her cheek, "Do I look presentable now?" she asked, smiling.

He searched her face before giving her a sarcastic frown, "No. You look like you just had sex. A fucking beautiful disaster" he told her.

She slapped his arm, "You fuck"

"You enjoy it" he whispered to her, smiling. She pushed herself off of the box, reaching for the handle.

"Oh, um, Hermione?" he said, getting her attention

She turned, "What?" she asked.

"Might want to zip your pants. Dead giveaway" he told her, raising and eyebrow. She sighed, hating that he was right almost all of the time. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the door handle. Abruptly, she turned back to him, grabbing his hair and pulling him back down to her, kissing him softly.

When she pulled away, she stared for a brief moment before patting his cheek, "I have to go study" she told him.

"I know. And you're going to be late" he told her, smiling.

"Oh shit!" she said, realizing it was getting close to her 15 minute deadline. He laughed at her as she exited the closet, leaving him alone in the dark room to his thoughts. He sighed, smiling to himself before shaking his head and also exiting the closet.

Draco walked back to the Head dorm as normally as he could, his hands in his pockets as they usually were, blonde hair falling delicately over his face, avoiding eye contact with any onlookers. All he wanted to do was run down the halls like a madman, skipping and shouting to the world what was happening to him. He smiled to himself. As soon as he reached his dorm, he walked up the stairs, immediately going into the bathroom and turning on the shower.

His body ached from all the work he'd been doing. He wasn't complaining, the more work he had to do, the less he was sitting around thinking about her. He let the hot water run over his body as he leaned his forehead against the glass wall of the shower, closing his eyes. His back ached the most, he could feel his muscles tensing as he washed his body.

A few minutes later, he opened the glass door, reaching for his towel, wiping the water from his face and towel-drying his hair. He stepped out of the shower, his lean body still dripping wet as he wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the door to his room. He walked to his closet, grabbing a pair of sweats, slipping them on. He loved going commando.

Looking at his bed, he saw his schedule lying on it. It was then he remembered the Potions essay he was supposed to be doing on veriterserum. He groaned to himself. He didn't have the energy to deal with a stupid essay right now, but he didn't have a choice. Picking up his books and parchment from his dresser, he opened the door to his room and walked downstairs, sitting in front of the roaring fireplace on the floor. He leaned his back against the couch as he picked up his book, searching through it for information, jotting down what he found.

He looked up slightly when the portrait door opened, a blushing Hermione walking through it. She looked rather unlike herself, flustered and rather disheveled. Draco decided not to push it, the feeling of jealousy rising inside of him as he took a sharp breath and continued writing.

Hermione walked through the portrait hole, embarrassed with herself. She felt dirty. Swallowing hard she slowed her pace as she saw Draco sitting on the floor, shirtless; the shadows of the flames in the fireplace dancing as they reflected on his chest and face. Without saying anything, she walked upstairs, in desperate need of a shower.

Almost two hours later, Draco heard her door open back up, the sound of her feet stepping lightly as she descended down the steps. She sat on the couch behind him.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, pulling her feet under her as she sat behind him. He sighed, leaning his head back against her bare knees. "Potions essay" he told her.

The bottom of his hair was still slightly damp. Her hands gravitated towards his hair. She entwined a few strands around her fingers, playing in it delicately. "On what?" she asked, now massaging his head.

Draco closed his eyes as her fingers ran through his hair, pushing and pulling on his scalp, he didn't hear what she'd said. "What?" he asked.

"Your essay. What potion is it on?" she asked again.

"Veriterserum. Ethical or unethical" he said, reading off of his paper.

She leaned forward, resting her forearms on his shoulders as he held up his schedule. "All you have this week is homework" she stated.

"Yeah" he said.

"Where have you been going then?" she asked, remembering that she'd seen him on the bridge roof earlier.

He turned his head slightly, looking at her sideways. "Maybe I'll show you tomorrow" he said, a small smile on his lips.

She was becoming uncomfortable in the sitting position she was in. Softly, she sat up, tapping on his back. "Scoot up" she demanded.

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, your highness" he said, moving his parchment and scooting up a small distance. She slapped his shoulder as she slid down on the floor between him and the couch, her back much happier with the new position. She place her legs on either side of him, laying her chin on his shoulder as she watched him do the essay.

Feeling his tense back, she frowned. "Draco. Your…Draco, your back" she said suddenly.

He was confused, "What?" he asked.

"Your muscles. How long have they been this tense? I can barely move them!" she exclaimed, her hands digging into his lower back muscles. She looked over he rest of his back, seeing the scratch marks she'd made the night before below his shoulder blades.

He could hardly feel her hands in his back, "I don't know. A week maybe?" he told her, not thinking much of it.

She shook her head, "You're so stubborn. If you needed a massage, why didn't you just ask for one?" she told him, now working her hands on his back.

"And who was I supposed to ask last week? You?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't say anything, knowing that last week things had been different.

Over the next hour, she quietly massaged his back as he read the books he had laid out in front of him. When she finished, she laid her body on his back, reaching her arms around his waist. She remained silent, listening to his heart beat as their breathing synced, their bodies rising and falling at almost the same pace.

She didn't know what she was doing. She couldn't deny her feelings for him. There was no way to avoid them. But she couldn't hurt Ron. She knew she was everything to him, she wouldn't be able to handle loosing her best friend, just as Ron wouldn't be able to handle a break-up.

She felt Draco leaning back against her towards the couch. She followed, leaning her back against the couch as he made himself comfortable, laying his head on her chest. His hair fell on her neck, tickling her. She smiled, one of her hands reaching up into it and playing in the fine blonde locks. Hermione closed her eyes, this felt too natural. This felt too real. It felt too right to be so wrong. But she couldn't help but love every minute of it.

He laid his open book on his stomach, picking up her other hand. She could see the dark mark clearly on his forearm as he turned her hand over in his, caressing the palm of her hand. He turned it back over, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly

"What's wrong?" she asked him, noticing his unusual behavior.

"I just want to hold your hand" he said quietly, entwining their finger together.

"What?" she asked, confused.

Draco swallowed hard, "I'll never get to do it anywhere except in here" he whispered, closing his fingers tightly around hers.

She blinked a few times, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. She kissed his shoulder before leaning her head on his. Why did this have to be so wrong?

He sighed, feeling her warm body leaning on his, her chin sitting on his shoulder. He was going to relish every second they had behind closed doors. It was all he had. In the back of his mind, he knew she would never leave Ron.

"Oh, I found one of your books in the couch cushion" he said, remembering that he'd found tattered, red hardcover book earlier.

"Oh that's where it was! I was looking all over for it! Where is it now?" she asked him, getting excited.

He reached forward slightly, picking it up from underneath one of his potions books. He leaned back on her again as he read the title on the cover, "Hamlet."

She smiled, "It's one of my favorites" she told him as he opened it, flipping through the pages.

He stopped on a random page, reading out a random passage, "Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof, I did love you once"

She read the words with her eyes as he said them, feeling the vibration of his voice on the side of her face. "Have you ever read it?" she asked him.

He closed the book, sitting it down on the other side of her leg, "No. My parents have this elaborate library in the manor. It always intimidated me" he confessed.

"I think you'd like it. It's quite the tragedy" she said, a small smile on her face.

He brought their entwined hands up to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly, "Maybe you should read it to me" he told her, giving her a sideways glance, a smile growing on his face.

"Maybe I will" she said, reaching for the book. She opened it, laying it on her bent leg, and began reading. Draco made himself comfortable, scooting down a few more inches, his head laying on her breasts. As she read, he continued to caress her hand delicately, the feeling of their hands entwined together made this feel real.

After an hour of her reading the epic poem outloud, she felt his chest start to rise and fall at a slow pace. Looking down, she saw his sleeping body ontop of her, he looked so vulnerable as he slept. She closed the book, leaning down and kissing his forehead softly. Her eyelids were becoming heavy. Slowly, she reached for the four pillows sitting on the couch, sitting them in a stack beside her and laying her head on them sideways. She laid awkwardly, Draco's head now laying more on her stomach as she twisted slightly to rest on the pillows. He never stirred.


	7. It's Going Great

**A/N::: Sorry its taken me so long to update!**

**Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy! :-)**

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><p>Draco woke up the next day, feeling Hermione's legs wrapped around him on either side, their fingers still entwined together. He sighed, sitting up slowly, trying not to wake her. Quickly he went upstairs, showering and getting dressed for the day. She was still asleep on the floor when he came back down. A small smile played on his lips as he watched her sleep for a brief moment before leaning down, kissing her temple softly, then exiting the dorm.<p>

He didn't go to breakfast immediately, dropping by Slughorn's office and giving him his potions essay first. Blaise was coming up from the dungeons as Draco left the office.

"Draco, what're you doing down here?" Blaise asked.

"Potions essay" Draco said as he joined him, the two of them walking together to the Great Hall.

"Right. So, how are things, mate?" Blaise asked, a smirk on his face.

Draco couldn't help smiling.

Blaise chuckled, giving him a sideways glance, "That good, ay?" he asked.

"For right now atleast" Draco told him.

"Right now? That goofy grin on your face says otherwise" Blaise said, now fully smiling.

Draco pushed him playfully, "Shut it" he said as they reached the Great Hall. Immediately, his eyes went to the Gryffindor table. His stomach sank at the image playing out before him. He swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat, he was nauseous.

Blaise pressed his lips together, giving Draco sad expression, "I take it she's not going to tell him" he said quietly as they sat down.

Draco shook his head, "No. And she never will" he told him, a feeling of emptiness growing inside in the pit of his stomach.

"Why not?" Blaise asked.

"Probably because neither of us are sure if its even real or not" Draco added sadly, still staring across the tables at Hermione's laughing face. Ron leaned in and kissed her cheek, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as she ate. Harry was telling them something, Ginny was defending herself, arguing with Harry.

Draco clenched his jaw, swallowing hard. "I'll see you later, mate" he told Blaise, getting up from the table without eating anything. He didn't look around the Great Hall before exiting the room, going straight to the owlery. He needed to clear his head.

A little after lunch, Draco decided to call it quits for the day seeing as he had two papers due the following day. He'd gotten a few minor things accomplished. He was working on the rafters and the roof.

The warm winter sun hit his cheek immediately as he stepped out of the owlery, heading down the steps and to the bridge. His stomach sank as he saw the couple walking across it at the same time. They were laughing, their arms swinging happily as they held hands and briskly walked down the center of the bridge

Hermione's laugh boomed down the arched path, echoing in Draco's ears. As soon as his eyes caught hers, he quickly looked away, staring at the floor, walking by them without a word.

Hermione glanced at the expression on Draco's face, then wondered where he was coming from.

She turned to Ron, "One second, I need to ask him something about Head duties" she said, stopping.

Ron sighed, "What for? Can't it wait?" he pleaded.

"No, no it can't" she told him, letting go of his hand and running towards Draco who was already almost to the other end.  
>`<p>

**_Wait! Where you going?  
>"I' leaving you" <em>**

`  
>"Draco!" she yelled. "Draco! Wait!"<p>

He stopped, turning around to her. "What?" he asked.

Her eyes narrowed, puzzled at his depressed manner. "Are you ok? What are you doing down here?" she asked.

"Last I checked, Hermione, I was able to go anywhere around the castle I wanted" he told her dryly.

"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked sincerely.

He glanced behind her at Ron before speaking in a hushed tone, "What's…what's wrong?…" he clenched his jaw, taking a deep breath and deciding against blowing up on her at that moment. He shook his head, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing" he told her. A streak of lightning cracked in the distance, a storm cloud was brewing from the south.

"Hermione! Come on!" Ron yelled at her.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back at him, then turned to Draco. "Meet you back at the dorm later?" she asked him hopefully.

He sighed, rubbing his neck, "Yeah, sure, whatever" he told her. She was hurt by his off-putting manner. It was like he didn't want her. She turned, walking back to Ron, feeling the weight on her chest get heavier and heavier.

They walked around the forest, their picnic basket in hand. Hermione loved having picnics on the tallest cliff by the owlery, you could see everything from there. Today, however, she wasn't sure she could do it. And, the storm cloud above them was coming closer and closer, thunder sounding in the distance.

"Hermione, are you ok?" Ron asked gently.

She gripped her stomach, "No. No, not really, my chest hurts a bit. I think I'm going to go lie down" she told him hoarsely.

**_No you aint. Come back, we're running right back_**  
>`<p>

He put his arm around her shoulder, kissing her forehead, "Yeah, sure. Come on, I'll walk you to your dorm" he told her, leading her to the bridge and back to the castle.

Ron gave her a quick kiss outside of the portrait hole before she went inside. Looking at the floor, Hermione stepped through the portrait hole, closing it tightly behind her. She felt a sharp wind hit her as she stepped around the fireplace. It sent shivers down her spine. She looked around, trying to find out why the wind had suddenly hit her indoors. Across the room, one of the large windows was open. She walked towards it, stepping onto the desk to see outside.

What she found fascinated her. There was a small balcony outside of the window. She wasn't sure if it had been there or if Draco had created it. He was standing in the far corner of it, leaning against the stone railing as lightning cracked and the sound of thunder boomed overhead.

"Draco! You're going to be electrocuted! Come inside!" she yelled to him.

Draco sighed, he didn't want to move. "I'll take my chances" he told her sternly.  
>`<p>

_**Here we go again  
><strong>_`

Hermione pressed her lips together, hoisting herself up onto the windowsill and hopping out onto the stone balcony. She walked towards him, leaning against the rail beside him. As she stood there in silence, she watched the lightning light up the clouds and the forest. She glanced sideways at him a couple of times, the white-light reflecting off of his hair.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?" she asked him after a few minutes.

"It's nothing. Don't worry yourself" he told her, now looking at his hands.

"Draco, it's not nothing. Tell me" she begged.

He sighed, "I know you're never going to leave him. I know that this" he reached out for her hand, "is as close as I'll ever be to holding your hand down the hall. I know that what we have now, may never amount to anything. I know all of this. But" he stopped, looking back out at the lightning striking the ground in the distance. "But, that doesn't help that every time I see the two of you together I get more jealous than I've ever been in my entire life. And it's driving me fucking insane with anxiety" he told her. He gripped her hand tighter.

"So what are you saying?" she asked quietly, fearing the worst.

He ran a hand through his hair as the rain started drizzling down on them. "I'm saying I want you. I want you and I want you to only want me"

"Draco, I can't leave him" she told him, a flash of lightning lighting up their faces for a brief moment.

"I'm not asking you to leave him. I know you can't" he said, reaching up to her face and touching her cheek.

"Then what are you asking me to do? What do you want from me? What else do I need to do to prove to you that I want this?" she said, her voice a little louder, full of frustration and anxiety. "Draco, you're fucking jealous! And selfish! You knew how this would go if we gave in! You knew you would have to see me with him in the halls, at breakfast…you knew this! Why…Why put yourself through this in the first place? Why did you do it?" she begged of him.

"Because I was already jealous! So why not go after what I've wanted for years when I could already felt the envious emotions every time I saw the two of you together? At least I could make my own memories with you!" he yelled at her. "I wanted to know what happiness felt like" he added quietly, the rain falling harder and harder on their heads.

`  
><strong><em>It's so insane cause when it's going good, it's going great<br>` _**

A lump formed in Hermione's throat as he uttered those last words. She strode across the small balcony where he'd stopped pacing and grabbed his neck, pulling him down to her. She could feel the cold rain hitting their faces as she kissed him desperately.

There was something about being with Draco that she didn't get when she was with Ron. It wasn't the thrill, or the danger of them being together. It was something else, something more. Ron had always been her best friend, Draco her enemy. It was like animal magnetism, two halves to a whole. Every time Draco touched her, her skin felt like it was on fire, a sensation she'd never felt with Ron. She'd never felt so wanted in her life, so fragile, like if he let her go she would crumble at his feet, turning into dust.

Draco's clothes were soaked with the rainwater now, but he didn't care. All that mattered in the world was the two of them, and nothing was going to tear them apart now.

His hands ran down the sides of her now wet body, feeling the curvature of her hips. Suddenly she felt him grab her butt with his strong hands, hoisting her onto his waist and carrying her through the window gracefully. He thought about setting her on the couch, but decided today was too special for the couch.

He carried her up the stairs, one step at a time, her legs wrapped tightly around him. She could feel his erection growing against her thigh as he carried her up the stairs. Before she realized it, he was laying her on the bed, ripping away his wet shirt and pants. She discarded her own, taking off the wet shirt above her head, then grabbing his wet hair and pulling him down to her again.

The crack of thunder made her jump slightly. Draco slowed his kiss, reassuring her. She felt safe with him.

Hermione fumbled with her own pants finally able to kick the wet things off of her. The cold air hit her half-naked body as she lay on his down comforter beneath him. It sent chills down her spine, creating goosebumps on her skin.

She felt his erection graze her abdomen, leaving a small bit of precum where it'd touched. She longed to reach for him, but he had her hands pinned down on either side of her head as he kissed her neck slowly.

He seemed to know what he was doing to her as he barely touched her mound with his tip, tickling her, teasing her. He nibbled at the small of her neck as she arched into him. She tried arching her pelvic forward, hoping to entice him to enter her. She was going to go mad if he waited much longer. Her body ached for him.

He heard her moan beneath him, arching her body up towards him. He smiled against her neck, looking back up at her agonized face.

"What do you want, Hermione?" he asked her.

She didn't have to think, "You. I want you. Now" she begged. He captured her lips with his again, letting go of her arms and slipping her underwear off. He steadied himself over her before thrusting himself into her deeply.

`  
><strong><em>I'm Superman with the wind at his back, she's Lois Lane<em>**

She didn't feel she would ever get used to the size of him and the swiftness of him entering her. Her body immediately responded to his rocking thrusts, arching and moving with him. She gripped the bed sheets tightly, moaning every time he entered her.

The sounds of the rain beating on the windows only intensified the anguish and intensity in the room. Neither paid any attention to the clapping thunder going on or the flashes of lightning coming through his large window.

Hermione didn't know when she reached her climax, between the sounds of the thunder, the sound of the headboard hitting the wall, and her screams, it was the most orgasmic experience she'd ever had. She gripped his shoulder tightly, drawing blood underneath her nails as she came with Draco, her body seizing beneath him.

Draco laid his head on her chest, his body still trembling. Soon, he found himself falling asleep as he laid there, her hand stroking his silky blonde hair slowly as she stared at the ceiling.

Hermione felt Draco fall asleep on her chest, his breaths becoming slow and even. She slipped out from underneath him, pulling on one of his many robes and walking slowly down the stairs to their common room.

As she reached the common room, she walked to the window they'd left open. Rain was pouring in the room, wetting their books and parchment. The wind blowing through the open window was trying to put out the flames in the fireplace, picking up the parchment that had once been neatly stacked in the corner.

Hermione hurriedly went to the window, using all of her strength to close it. Once closed, she looked around the disheveled room tiredly, picking up her book that was now dripping wet from the rain. A drying spell wouldn't help the damage already done to it. A tear formed in her eye, falling down her cheek slowly. She didn't understand what was wrong with her.

She picked up the drenched book, anger welling up inside of her. As she opened it, she felt her breathing become shallow. Without realizing it, she started ripping the pages from the book. It was easy. The wet pages tore beneath her fingers. The more she tore, the more angered she felt. Soon, she found herself ripping pages from every book beneath the window, creating a waterfall of tiny pieces of paper. Tears flowed freely down her face. She started screaming in angst.

Soon, she felt a pair of strong arms wrapping around her. She fought against him, writhing under his grip. He spun her around to face him, gripping her shoulders tightly.

Draco watched the tears run down her face freely, her eyes red and puffy as she cried. Finally she gave up fighting him, burying her head in his chest. He didn't know why she was crying, but he held her close to him, his head resting on hers as she cried into his chest. A silent bond passed between them as he held her close, his fingers running through her hair gently. He grasped her tightly as she continued to cry, her small fists hitting his chest gently.

After a moment or two, he heard her sobs slow. He pushed her back, looking at her face. She glanced up at him, her cheeks a rosy color, eyes puffed. He reached up to her cheek, wiping away the stray tears that still lingered.

She pulled away from his grasp. "Don't look at me, I'm hideous" she told him quietly as she went to sit in front of the fireplace.

He followed her, sitting in front of her and studying her face. Reaching up to her cheek, he gave her a small smile. "You're beautiful" he whispered, moving a stray piece of hair from her face.

Kissing her lightly, he pulled her into an embrace again, holding her tight. He felt silent tears rolling down her cheeks again as he held her the rest of the night, the both of them falling asleep in each other's arms.

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><p><strong>AN::: Please review! Thanks! :-)**


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